Stanford women beat St. John's to advance to Sweet 16

After giving postgame TV interviews, Jeanette Pohlen and Kayla Pedersen walked off the Maples Pavilion court Monday night and waved to the fans who stuck around to cheer their farewell.

The building belongs to Stanford, but Pohlen and Pedersen have owned it for four years. They never lost there, not in 63 games. Only one other senior group in women's NCAA history, the Tennessee class of 1993, has had a similarly unblemished record in front of its home fans, although Connecticut's senior class might match the feat tonight.

Stanford struggled early against St. John's in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but the Cardinal took apart the Red Storm in the second half and rolled 75-49. Stanford advanced to play fifth-seeded North Carolina (28-8) on Saturday night in Spokane, Wash.

There really was little danger of a loss for the Cardinal (31-2), even though they trailed 22-14 just past the 10-minute mark in the first half. "I didn't think Kayla and Jeanette would allow it," coach Tara VanDerveer said.

Neither would the high-flying Ogwumike sisters. Nneka poured in 22 points on the low block, and Chiney - celebrating her 19th birthday - had 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike (30) fires a shot over St. John's Centhya Hart (30) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto.

Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike (30) fires a shot over St. John's Centhya Hart (30) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto.

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

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Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike (30) fires a shot over St. John's Centhya Hart (30) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto.

Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike (30) fires a shot over St. John's Centhya Hart (30) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto.

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

Stanford women beat St. John's to advance to Sweet 16

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"There was only one person guarding me so I wanted to post up aggressively and stay strong," Nneka said, but even when the Red Storm (22-11) double-teamed her later, she was able to score, using the backboard expertly from some tough angles.

Pedersen had 14 points and Pohlen eight in their final home appearances.

"At the last seconds of the game," Pedersen said, "I thought about what we had done the last four years. I looked around and saw Maples packed and saw the fans cheering. It was a very special moment."

Said Pohlen: "It's just weird to think that we've never had that feeling of a loss while we played at home. I don't every know what it would feel like. I know it would feel awful."

The Red Storm, who had earned an at-large berth out of the Big East, hung tough for a half, trailing 34-30 before a couple of baskets by Chiney Ogwumike made it 38-30 at halftime.

In the second half, St. John's made only two of its first 20 field goal tries, and its leading rebounder, Da'Shena Stevens, had to leave five minutes into the second half after drawing her fourth foul.

Red Storm coach Kim Barnes Arico said her team, undersized by a couple of inches per player, was worn down in the second half. And it couldn't stop Nneka Ogwumike, who's 6-foot-2. "We didn't have an answer for her," Arico said.

"She is big," St. John's forward Centhya Hart said. "It's hard to defend her. She comes in and ducks in a lot on you."

The Cardinal held the Red Storm to their second-lowest total of the season, surrendering all of 19 points in the second half. One disconcerting note for Stanford was that sparkplug guard Toni Kokenis limped off with an ankle injury late in the first half and didn't return. VanDerveer said she hopes Kokenis will be ready to play in Spokane.

VanDerveer said the seniors might have had some last-game jitters. "They wanted it really badly," she said. "We all wanted it for them. They've led the way for four years, and it was a great finish."

Next for Stanford

Who: No. 5 North Carolina (28-8),

regional semifinal

Where: Spokane, Wash.

When: Saturday, time TBD

Of note: The Tar Heels beat Kentucky 86-74 on Monday night, reaching the round of 16 a year after being eliminated in the first round without 6-foot-3 Jessica Breland, who missed last season while receiving treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma. Also joining the Spokane Regional will be 11th-seeded Gonzaga (30-4), which beat third-seeded UCLA 89-75, and the winner of tonight's game between second-seeded Xavier (28-2) and seventh-seeded Louisville (21-12).